Question

Ars Poetica is written by:

• A. Longinus
• B. Horace
• C. Aristotle
• D. Sir Philip Sidney

Hint:

Horace wrote Ars Poetica; Aristotle wrote Poetics; Longinus wrote On the Sublime.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1 : Understanding the Question:
This question asks us to identify the classical author who wrote the highly influential critical treatise Ars Poetica (The Art of Poetry).

Step 2 : Key Formulas and Approach:
The approach involves reviewing classical Roman and Greek literary criticism. We identify the authorship of major treatises and analyze the stylistic and conceptual rules associated with each classical critic.

Step 3 : Detailed Explanation:

• Ars Poetica (also known as "Letters to the Pisos") is a famous verse epistle written by the Roman poet and critic Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) in the late first century BC.

• The work is written as an informal advice letter in hexameter, offering practical guidance on poetic composition, unity, character decorum, and dramatic structure.

• Horace is celebrated in this work for establishing influential literary principles, such as the idea that poetry should aim to both instruct and delight (aut prodesse aut delectare), and the concept of "purple prose" (purpureus pannus).

• In contrast, Longinus is famous for writing the treatise On the Sublime, Aristotle wrote the Poetics, and Sir Philip Sidney authored An Apology for Poetry during the Elizabethan era.

Step 4 : Final Answer:
Ars Poetica was written by Horace. Therefore, option (B) is the correct choice.
The correct option is (B) Horace.